What are you listening to, right now................

Crucial

Good musicians can still make crap songs. Africa is one of them.
 
Even the Funk Bros and the Swampers have recorded some rubbish among their brilliance.

Tim

Clearly we have a man who does not feel the rains.

Tim

I'm sorry, I meant feel the rains. Important distinction.
 
Lukather alluded to it in the Salon article, but the number of cool parties that I've been to in London, Paris, or Copenhagen where a good edit of Africa or Georgy Porgy has had people on the floor and singing along ... Huge tunes.
 
I bless the rains.

Tim

Crucial

No, I don't bless the rains.
 
The worst thing about that song is the incredibly clumsy line "There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do" - jamming in words to fit the tune. It's as bad as Chris Martin extending syllables in weird places as if the music and lyrics met in the changing rooms before the match.

JC

You're not alone in bagging Africa's lyrics, Crucial. Lukather said this:
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
 
It's so funny, because it's the least representative (song) of what we really are. Yeah, it's in our wheelhouse, sure, but that was the oddball song on 'Toto IV.' It almost didn't make the record. I said to (David) Paich, 'This is a great track, but what the fuck do these lyrics mean, man?' He said, 'You wait and see.' It just hit a nerve. I was the guy saying, 'I'll run naked down Hollywood Boulevard if this thing's a hit.' Nobody would want to see that now.</blockquote>

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="601169" data-time="1469753042">
Awkward , have you come up with a convincing explanation yet? 
There was a guy who used to fish locally and when he anchored up and put his burley down he put the chicken dance on a loop on the stereo on his boat . Never had to worry about anyone parking to close and ruining his fishing .</blockquote>
 
Kind of counterproductive. Would rather have a boat 10 meres away than subject myself to that.

Chris B.

Mick and David suddenly looking a lot less cool! :)

jegga

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="611849" data-time="1472941008">
Kind of counterproductive. Would rather have a boat 10 meres away than subject myself to that.</blockquote>
 
That was the point, no one would come near him. He is a deeply annoying individual , he used to drink at the bar my ex worked at and put it on the stereo too.

Chris B.

Watched the Prime Rocks doco on The Jam a few weeks ago. Reminded me how much I liked them.

Paul Weller wrote some great lyrics.

"They smelt of pubs, and Wormwood Scrubs, and too many right wing meetings".

MN5

I liked Wellers work with the ironically named Style Council. Some underrated 80s classics were done by those two.....

Chris B.

Yeah - Style Council was unusual - some reasonably hard core political lyrics set to "dinner party" music.

In The Jam doco they mentioned David Cameron was a big fan growing up - Weller said dryly, "I'm not sure he listened to the lyrics". I think they were referencing Eton Rifles at the time.

My brother told me Weller has some solo stuff out these days that is worth looking into, but I haven't as yet.

canefan

Was an interesting watch for someone who wasn't a big fan. Weller leaving seemed like a big shock to the others, a bit like Sting leaving the Police. I wonder if they get on now? Seemed to me he was happy to leave the Jam in the past, the others are still there

Bovidae

Yeah those Prime Rocks docos are good value. I pick and choose which ones I watch - the last episode I watched was Jeff Lynne/ELO. The VH1 Behind The Music series were always interesting.

MN5

Ah the Police. Don't listen to them much now ( well not at all really ) but shit they were a superb band. Stings solo stuff is a bit hit or miss though.

canefan

@MN5 Too self indulgent

MN5

Some of it was I agree.

One of my pet hates is when they refer to them as "Sting and the Police"

Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland were fucken talented mo fo's who deserve much more than that.

EDIT. New system too confusing and I have fucked this up, this reply was meant for the music thread.....

Nepia

I can't stand Sting's music.

I really like The Police though.

MN5

@Nepia

Sting definitely sold out, but in saying that he still did some really good stuff. "Fortress around my heart" "If I ever lose my faith in you" "Brand New Day" are all a bit cheesy but really good pop songs in my opinion.

Nepia

@MN5 I don't know if 'he sold out' (I don't buy the selling out line, musicians can do what they want in my book) but I just don't like his music after The Police. Made worse by being stuck in someone else's car for a trip to Auckland and all they had was Sting's Greatest Hits (solo only). I was hoping to be Marvin in Pulp Fiction on that trip.

The Silver Fern

What are you listening to, right now................